The Glitch Alchemist 2
by SilentJo
Summary: With her family back together, Aura is content with the way her life is going. But as a new threat appears that can manipulate her very being, Aura must fight to keep this new evil from destroying everything she holds dear. **Thank you for reading, please feel free to leave comments/feedback! New chapters each Monday morning!
1. Chapter 1

"These rings are special, you see. They are made from a suit of armor that at one point sheltered a gentle, loving soul. That armor stayed true through many trials of strength. It didn't bend when hope was all but lost. It is with this in mind, that these rings were created from that very same steel. For these wedding rings represent the strength, hope, and love you two hold for one another. Now, Edward and Winry, take these unique rings and give them to each other."

Alphonse and Aura held out their hands, each showing a shiny steel ring. They offered one each to Ed and Winry. Edward grabbed his ring from his brother, and almost dropped it as it clinked against his metal hand. Winry took hers from Aura and together they slid them on each others fingers.

Their wedding day was going just like they wanted it to, no excessively long speeches or overly ornate decoration. Just a simple ceremony for their family and close friends. They looked into each others eyes and repeated the vows that the pastor read to them. Edward seemed nervous as he asked Winry if she would be his wife, for better or worse. They had both seen the best and worst of each other through the years they've been together. Their love still held strong through all of it, and as she said yes, he knew that nothing could break their bond.

"By the power vested in me by the great country of Amestris, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Elric, and you may now kiss the bride!" A rush of applause greeted the end of the pastor's sentence, just as Edward's anxiety rushed back.

"I didn't realize I'd be kissing you in front of everybody!" said Ed, turning three different shades of red.

"Just ignore them and kiss me, moron!" Winry replied as she pulled her husband in for a kiss that made the applause louder. Once they were done, Edward pulled back with a calm look on his face and said "well... that wasn't so bad."

Al and Aura gave them a big group hug and congratulated their brother and new sister-in-law. The guests then began to make their way towards the couple to offer their congratulations as well, and Aura saw that as a good opportunity to duck away and into the house.

"Oh, man! Even with an automail foot these heels are killing me!" she exclaimed as she slid off her dress shoes and sat down at the kitchen table. She was so happy that she was able to be there for her brother's wedding. She thought of how only half a year had passed since they had surprised her on the other side with a chance to come back home. So much had happened since then! Helping with the wedding plans seemed to take up most of the time. Not to mention Winry insisting on remodeling her automail, after scolding her on the lack of suitable maintenance of course. The changes in the military afforded her the chance to train with them to help focus her stone's power, as well as assist them with the occasional mission. Edward wasn't a big fan of her involving herself with the military, despite knowing that the dangers of the past were long gone. Her life was starting to feel complete, and she wanted to relish that in peace for a little while.

The kitchen door opened, and Ed quickly walked in and shut the door behind him. "Geez, I thought I was going to have to transmute a ladder to get out from among all those people! When did we end up with so many friends anyway..." he said as he pulled out the chair next to Aura and plopped down, exhausted. "Everything okay, sis?"

"Yeah, just needed a break from these shoes and the roaring applause. I'm guessing you needed the same?"

"Well, at least the roaring applause part, my shoes are actually pretty comfy."

"Yeah, well you may not want to stay hidden away for too long, they're bound to notice the groom missing well before the maid of honor. And I don't think Winry will be in such a good mood later if she's dealing with the crowd solo. But seriously, I'm really happy I was able to be here for you today, Ed. You two are such a great couple, I know it sounds cliche, but you guys complement each other so well. To avoid sounding too mushy, I'm just going to stop there and say congrats again little brother." She hugged him and before he could react to her little brother comment, she grabbed her shoes and took off outside.

"This is getting ridiculous, I'm asking Hohenheim once and for all who the oldest is!" he yelled out as he followed Aura out the door.

Hohenheim, who had managed to keep the portal open long enough for his children to get back to Amestris, had been dealing with fading health for the last several months. He reluctantly allowed his daughter to use her stone to recover some of his health in order to be there for his eldest son's wedding. Even with Aura's assistance, he was still weak, and had to make use of a wheelchair. After the wedding, he asked Pinako to wheel him away from the crowd and park him in a shady spot where he could still see the wedding activities. He smiled as he watched his family and friends celebrate the union of his son and now daughter-in-law.

"You never were one for being part of the crowd, Hohenheim." said Pinako as she lit her pipe and let out a puff of smoke.

"Well, Pinako, I seem to remember a time when that wasn't true. We used to strike fear at the local bars and into whoever was foolish enough to try to keep up with us."

"Yeah, well we can't stay young and wild forever. Eventually you have to move aside to let the next generation become the drunken fools you once were." She pulled a small flask from her side pocket, uncorked it and took a swig. She passed it to Hohenheim, who laughed heartily as he took a drink with his old friend and watched the party. He saw Aura run out the door, followed closely by Ed, shouting loud enough for him to hear even at this distance, something about finding out who the oldest is.

"Oh, boy... I think we're going to need a refill on this flask, Pinako."


	2. Chapter 2: A New Journey Begins

Over a month had passed since Edward and Winry were married. After several delays, they were finally getting to go on their honeymoon. Most of those delays were due to the fact that they couldn't agree on where their honeymoon should be. In the end, Winry's dream of honeymooning in Rush Valley was coming true, and Edward was just happy to finally have it settled.

"Now just because we're honeymooning in Rush Valley doesn't mean you get to bring half the city's automail supplies back home with you, Winry." Ed told her as he loaded their bags into the carriage.

"Give me a break, alchemy freak. If we were going to some fancy library full of alchemy books you'd have them stacked to the ceiling like Sheska's house! If you didn't notice, the supplies I get in Rush Valley help me improve your automail, so I wouldn't keep complaining unless you'd prefer a splintery wooden leg instead." was Winry's reply as she brought the last of their things to him. Her comeback seemed harsher than usual, enough so that Edward just shut his mouth and kept packing.

_Oh man, I totally lost my cool with him just then. I really shouldn't have gone off like that, but I couldn't help it. These damn mood swings are so annoying!_ she thought to herself with a worried expression. She turned to look up the path and saw Aura walking towards them. Her expression relaxed as she walked up to meet her along the path.

"So you guys are finally going on your honeymoon? I was starting to think you had decided to just skip it. So is he really taking you to Rush Valley?" asked Aura.

"Yeah, better late than never, I suppose." Winry paused, looking nervous as she looked down at the ground. "Hey, Aura, there's something I need to tell you, but please don't tell your brother just yet, okay?"

"Sure Winry, what's wrong?"

"I... well it just so happens...I... you're going to be an Aunt soon!" Winry finally blurted out after stammering through her words.

It took a moment for Aura to process what Winry had just said. An aunt? Well that would have to mean that...

"You and Edward are having a baby?!" she finally managed to blurt out as it sank in.

"Shhh! I just found out, I'm going to tell Ed once we get to Rush Valley. I'm afraid if I tell him now he'll call off the trip. I know he's looking forward to this just as much as I am. So please don't say anything!"

"Don't worry I won't, but... wow, I'm so happy for you guys! Guess some things didn't wait for the honeymoon after all, eh?" Aura said jokingly, which made Winry blush. They noticed Ed walking towards them so they calmed themselves and started talking normally as he approached.

"Well, that's everything, right Winry? Guess we should get going if we want to make it to the train in East City. Hey sis, how are things going in Central?"

"Pretty calm, haven't been called in to help with anything new lately. It's kinda strange having so much time to myself. I actually have been spending some time at one of the local bakeries. They let me watch how they work and even let me help sometimes. You know how I've missed working with food like that, so it's been a welcome break."

"That's good, you know we don't mind when you get in the kitchen. We have to get going, but we'll let you guys know when we get into Rush Valley." He walked back towards the carriage and stood by the door. Winry gave Aura a hug and then followed Ed, who helped her into the carriage before hopping in himself. Aura watched as the man driving the carriage drove away. A sudden feeling of uneasiness came over her, and for a moment she felt compelled to yell for them to come back. But she let the urge pass and walked back to the house.

She walked in to find her father, Hohenheim, laying on the couch. He looked paler than usual, his hair turning gray at the roots. She had been using her stone's power more often lately to heal and give him energy. He constantly warned her that she shouldn't use her power so frivolously. Through research they started soon after Aura came back, he discovered that Aura's stone was able to recharge itself. It was based off of a unique adaptation; a melding of Aura's normal heart and the stone she inherited from her father. Although it was clear that her stone could regenerate it's lost energy, Hohenheim feared that any overuse of it could damage her heart permanently.

"Hey there Dad, how are you feeling?" she asked him, who turned to face her as she began speaking.

"Better than I have been lately. Really now Aura, this has to stop. You can't keep healing me and straining yourself. It's been long enough, and..."

Aura cut him off, anger growing in her voice,"Don't even finish that sentence, old man! If I want to help keep you alive, that's exactly what I'm going to do! Is it really too much to ask for us to keep you in our lives, right? I'm just getting to know you again, we all are, and I don't care how many times I have to heal you, I'm not losing anymore family, you got that!" She was furious as she stormed out of the room, and Hohenheim couldn't help but compare her to one of Edward's famous tantrums.

Even though there was no one around to hear the words, Hohenheim felt it necessary to speak them aloud, "Trust me, I want nothing more than to stay with you all. But this can't go on forever."

"So is there anywhere you'd want to go Ed? It just seems like we should go some place that you like too." Winry asked Ed, who was staring out the window of the carriage.

"Now that you mention it, I was thinking we could stop in Dublith and visit Teacher and Sig after we leave Rush Valley. We haven't seen them since the wedding, and it'd be nice to see how things are going in town."

"That sounds like a good idea, we'll have to call to make sure they're home, you know how they like to travel."

Ed nodded as he went back to looking out the window. He had noticed when the carriage came to pick them up that the usual driver was absent. His replacement didn't look very professional either, wearing an ill-fitting uniform and not providing any help loading their luggage like their usual driver did. His initial suspicions resurfaced as their carriage approached a wooded area and suddenly came to a stop.

"Hey, why the hell are we stopped? We have a train to catch in East City!" he said as he leaned out the window and yelled up to the driver. When he didn't get an immediate answer, he opened the carriage door and hopped down, circling the carriage but seeing no one near it. He was in front of the carriage by the horses when he heard Winry cry out.

"Winry! What is it?", he rushed around to her side of the carriage, her door wide open. He saw a large man with a mask holding Winry, putting a gag over her mouth. Distracted by seeing his wife struggling with her assailant, he didn't notice someone approaching behind him. Before he had time to react, they struck him hard in the back of his head. His vision blurred, the last sight he saw as he lost consciousness was Winry being carried away by their mysterious attackers.


	3. Chapter 3: A Girl's Fear

_Why does he have to be so stubborn? I'm capable of healing him and all he does is complain or refuse my help. Can't he see that we just want as much time with him as possible?_ Aura had run out of the house in anger after her father tried to start in again on how she shouldn't be using so much of her power to help him. In the back of her mind she knew that what she was doing was nothing more than a temporary 'band-aid' solution. Part of her even felt she was being selfish for wanting to keep Hohenheim alive. But she just wanted to get back the time she had lost growing up without him in her life. In spite of these little spats, they had gotten to know each other again and had some great experiences together. She wasn't ready to let him go just yet, and doubted she ever would be.

"Hey Aura, mind if I have a seat?" asked her brother Alphonse, who was coming to check on her, as he usually did whenever she got upset and ran off. _I bet Al understands why I just can't give up on keeping Dad well, he never lost his trust or love for him even with his long absence._

"Not at all, you should find something better to do with your time than check up on me whenever Dad and I have a argument though. So when do you have to leave for Xing? It seems like we see less and less of you lately, but you must enjoy your time there. Especially with May to keep you company..." Aura added a little wink and nudge. It cheered her up to see her brother blush with embarrassment.

"It's not like that! We're good friends, she's really helped me learn so much about their Alkahestry. Honestly, with the right applications, their medical alchemy could be useful for helping people like Da..." Al didn't mean to bring up that subject again, knowing that Aura was already upset about their Dad constantly refusing her help. He started to apologize to her, but Aura interrupted him by putting her hand up.

"Don't worry, bro. We should probably head back to the house, we should be hearing from Ed and Winry soon as well. Hopefully they'll make it into Rush Valley a little before night fall." Aura's tone changed into one of concern as she spoke. Al picked up on it and wondered what was up. He hadn't been there when his brother and Winry left for their honeymoon.

"Is there something wrong? You sound a little unsure of them making it to Rush Valley."

"It's probably nothing, I just got this weird feeling as they were leaving. Like that feeling you get when you know something bad is going to happen but you don't know what or when? Something about the guy driving their carriage seemed off..."

"Well, we'll just have to keep an ear out for the phone, you said they'd call along the way so I'm sure we'll hear from them soon. Let's get going before Granny thinks we're skipping dinner, she's making stew tonight!" He got Aura to smile and laugh a little, and they stood up and ran back up to the house.

...

Edward's head was pounding and his vision blurred as he opened his eyes to see that he was in what appeared to be an abandoned building. Shaking his head to help himself focus, he realized that he was bound in chains. His arms were individually chained above him and his legs tied together as he sat on his knees. He attempted to bring his hands together to start a transmutation, but couldn't reach.

"HEY! Just what the hell do you think you're doing, huh! Where's Winry and what do you want with us!" He looked around frantically for his wife, but he was the only one occupying the room. "What are you, a coward! Show yourself, I wanna see the face I'll be punching once I get out of these chains!" He continued to struggle, but eventually tired himself out. He didn't know that his captor and his wife were able to hear everything he said in a nearby room.

"Oh, Ed..." Winry said as she rolled her eyes and looked around the room she was brought to. She was seated at a large work table, similar to the one she used when she worked with her automail. Several tools were strewn about, along with a set of blueprints for what appeared to be a hand-held box with several buttons and a sliding knob. The box was partially built in front of her, a large portion of the components meant to be inside were arranged nearby. The man that was in charge of their abduction wore a large coat with a hood that hid his face well. When he spoke, it was a low but steady voice.

"I'm to understand that you have great skill with automail and other mechanics Miss Winry, is this true?" he asked.

"Please just let us go, we just wanted to go on our honeymoon. Whatever you're trying to accomplish won't succeed, Ed won't let you get away with any of this! You heard how mad he was just now. He may have a hot temper, but he can back it up with a beating you won't forget!" She wasn't sure if that was the best way to handle the situation, but she didn't want to do whatever this man wanted.

"I'm afraid you have the wrong idea, Miss Winry. Right now, your newlywed husband isn't just chained up, his arms are attached to several electrical wires that are controlled by the remote in my hand. Once I push this button, the electricity will start to run through him at an increasingly higher rate depending on how high I turn the dial. I do believe Edward uses an automail arm and leg, correct? Hmm, I wonder how much damage all that voltage would do to his prosthetics or the flesh and nerves attached to them. Maybe we should find out!" He pressed the button, and almost immediately Winry could hear Ed scream out in pain. "Let's see if he'll keep screaming or pass out cold from this next level!"

"STOP! Please, I'll do what you want, just please stop hurting him!" She hung her head and tears started to pool up in her eyes. She hadn't heard Ed scream like that since his automail surgery nearly ten years ago. She feared just how much damage had been done to him. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked towards the man. "What is it you want me to do?"

"I simply want you to finish the device set in front of you. The blueprints and all the necessary components should be there for you to use. I expect it to be done in short order. I wouldn't test my patience again, girl, or the next time you see your husband, he'll still be smoking."

Winry tried to keep that image out of her head as she began reviewing the blueprints and started organizing the pieces. As she worked, she tried to figure out just what it would be used for. It didn't seem to have any resemblance to a bomb or explosive device. She studied it as she worked, attempting to look like she was working swiftly, but actually taking more time than necessary. She only hoped that Ed would find some way to escape and get them out of this mess before she could finish it.

...

"Thanks Granny, the stew tasted so much better today for some reason!" said Aura as she gathered up the dishes to bring them to the sink.

"It may have something to do with your pipsqueak of a brother not being here to rant about milk and how it's amazing that stew tastes great even with milk in it. Sometimes I wonder how difficult it would be to wire his mouth shut, just for a short while." replied Pinako, who was now leaning back in her chair and firing up her pipe.

Aura laughed in agreement and continued to clean up after dinner. She was still worried about her brother and Winry, but tried to keep her mind occupied with her chores. Not long after she had finished washing the dishes and had started to dry them, the phone rang. She was closest to the phone, and quickly picked it up. Al was in the living room looking towards her as he played with Den, the Rockbell's loyal pet.

"Hello? Is this Pinako Rockbell?" said the voice on the other end of the line.

"No, this is Aura, who may I ask is calling?"

"Oh, hel-lo Aura! It's Garfiel, Winry's mentor here in Rush Valley. Has there been another delay in their honeymoon plans, dear?"

"No, they left this morning, we were actually waiting for them to call and let us know they got to Rush Valley safely." Aura's fear came back quickly, she had hoped her unease was nothing, but now she knew something was up.

"Oh my! This is so distressing! Well, let me get going, I'll see what I can find out here and let you know if I hear anything! Bye-bye!"

Aura hung up the phone and stood frozen in place. When she finally got her nerves together, she looked up to her other brother, who had just finished asking what happened.

"Garfiel said they never made it to Rush Valley. Something's wrong, I felt it before they even left. Come on Al, we have to go look for them!"


	4. Chapter 4: A Rescue Party

It didn't take Aura or Al long to find their first clue into the disappearance of their brother and sister-in-law. He happened to be tied up on the side of the road, half-naked and struggling to wiggle his way out of the brush when they found him.

"Wait a minute, I recognize this guy, he's the driver that normally comes from East City to bring us to the train station!" said Al as he helped the man get untied and back on his feet.

"Y-yes, thank you so much Mr. Al, I didn't know what was going on! I was on my way to pick up your brother for his trip to the City, when this rough looking fellow just jumped up onto my carriage out of nowhere and attacked me! The brute stole my uniform, which to be honest fit him terribly, tied me up and threw me to the side and took off with my carriage. I do hope he didn't destroy it, my boss will have my neck in a noose if it is!"

"I'm very sorry you had to go through something so scary, but is there anything else you can tell us? Whoever stole it picked up our brother and his wife, and we found out they never reached their destination." Aura said to the very distraught man.

"Well, since the guy tossed me into the brush, it made it hard for anyone else to see me out here. I suppose he may have forgotten about me being here, because I was able to see him come back from your place. Something told me to keep still, I imagine he wouldn't have been as gentle dealing with me a second time. But, anyway, I did see them take a different path from the one I usually take to get back to the city. Can you see just before the road disappears against the horizon?" he pointed towards the east,"It forks to the left which goes to the city, then a slightly broken-in trail leading off to the right? I saw them go on the right path. What's down there I'm not sure, but it seemed to be pretty secluded if you ask me."

"Sounds like the right place to bring someone you don't want anyone to find, right sis?"

"Yeah it does. Thank you for your help, sir. You can go back to our house and rest, hopefully when we come back it will be with everyone, including your carriage." She shook the driver's hand, then she and Al took off down the road towards the path that would hopefully lead them to their missing family. They followed the path, which gradually began to be covered overhead by trees. Soon they found where the carriage had stopped when Ed and Winry were taken.

"Well at least the driver will get to keep his neck out of the noose. Come on, if they took them on foot, wherever they are can't be far." Aura said as they made their way down the path. They passed some old collapsed barns and decided none of them would be useful for hiding people. A run-down yet fairly sturdy building came into view as the two kept moving. This place looked to be promising, so they were careful to keep themselves out of the open as they approached. They saw two guards in front of the entrance, and knew they had found the right place.

"Maybe it's just me, but does it seem like it was just a little _too _easy to find this place, Al?"

"I think you're right, but for now we should focus on getting in there and finding Ed and Winry. We'll just have to be cautious... hey wait, what are you doing?!" Al yelled after Aura, who had suddenly charged out of their cover and ran head-long towards the two sentries at the front door. By the time Al had caught up to her, the guards were collapsed in a pile at Aura's feet.

"Just what happened to going in with a cool head and being cautious?"

"Did you even see the expressions on these guys faces? I thought I'd have to worry about them peeing on me, they were so scared! They're obviously amateurs at this whole guard thing, so I just figured I'd use that to my advantage. They were too panicked to even attempt to fight back."

He just looked at his sister and shook his head. "Anyway, I guess we should get in before anyone else comes out to check on these guys." He opened the door carefully and let Aura pass before closing it behind him.

The building was made up of one large area for bringing in the farm's crops, with several smaller stalls and rooms further in that stored the goods separately until time to transport them. They split up along the stalls, each taking a side and inspecting them before meeting up at the back wall. They found a set of stairs leading down, and followed them down. The first room on the right was closed up. Aura opened the door and let light into a nearly dark room. As the door opened she could see more of the room until the light illuminated her brother Ed, hanging limply from his arms with his head almost between his knees.

"ED!" she yelled abruptly as she ran up to him and pulled him up against her to relieve his arms of his body weight. Al found the lever that held him up and released it, then started undoing the chains from his arms and legs. He started to stir while in Aura's arms, and when he realized his arms were free and who was holding him, he hugged Aura close.

"I'm so glad to see you Aura. Those bastards have Winry in here somewhere. We have to find them!" He struggled to get to his feet, even with Aura's support.

"Be careful Ed, you look like Hell, what did they do to you?" asked Aura, who noticed what looked like burns around his shoulder where it met his automail.

"The chains were electrocuted. It hurt like Hell, and it may have damaged my automail a bit. Whoever was playing with electricity is going to suffer a much greater shock when I get hold of them!" He walked away from Aura, unsteadily at first, but gradually moved more smoothly. They walked into the next room to see Winry seated at a table, working on some kind of box while looking over some blueprints. Her focus was interrupted when she heard the door squeal as it opened.

"Ed! Are you alright? I heard you screaming from here, I'm so sorry, it's my fault. That horrible man hurt you to force me to work on this device." Winry had started to get up, but the appearance of her captor made her sit back down. He approached her and stood behind her chair, holding out his arm and gesturing for Ed, Aura, and Al to stay put at the doorway. The dark gray hoodie he wore kept part of his face obscured from view.

"Now, Ms. Winry, I know you don't believe it, but I'm not a horrible person. I did stop as soon as you agreed to do this job for me. I never wanted to hurt anyone, but sometimes sacrifices must be made." He reached down past her shoulder and picked up the box that she'd been putting together. It was nearly completed, with a few random wires and connectors hanging loose as he lifted it past her head.

"What the hell do you know about sacrifice? And why did it have to be us you kidnapped anyway? There's people capable of working on stuff like that everywhere, why us?" Ed yelled.

"Yes, there are many others that could have done the same work your lovely wife has nearly finished. But there is one major detail that those people are lacking." He moved the device into his right hand, and revealed a dial and switch on top. His thumb brushed against the switch, making the motion to move it into the ON position, but not using enough pressure to actually move it.

Aura stepped out in front of her brothers and spoke loudly, "I've heard about enough of this nonsense. Hope you like it hot, because it's about to get way too steamy in here for any of that electronic crap to work." She held out her hands as the temperature of the room started to get warm and humid.

"And there she is, the major detail herself." The mystery man grinned as he switched the device on. Aura's power stopped almost immediately as she screamed out in pain. She clutched at her chest as she sank to her knees, then fell to the side, doubled over in pain.

"Aura!" yelled everyone except the man holding the box. Winry took the chance to move and ran towards Aura, as did Al and Ed.

The man looked down at Aura, who had gone silent and still from the pain she had endured, then looked at the device in his hand. "Well, it works very nicely considering it hasn't been completed. Many thanks Ms. Winry for your fine work. I'd better take my leave now, a two-on-one fight is one I'll no doubt lose. But I'll be seeing her again soon. I've come too far not to finish this now." He looked down towards Aura again, and switched the device off before leaving by a second door in the back of the room.

"Like Hell you'll be getting anywhere near her again, you son of a bitch!" Ed yelled as he crouched down closer to Aura, who was still passed out, but breathing easier. Al picked her up and started walking towards the stairway with Winry following closely behind. Ed stood there for a moment and wondered, _What the hell just happened to our sister?_


	5. Chapter 5: A Family Mourns

Al had just made it back to the carriage and laid his sister down in it when she started to regain consciousness. Aura groaned as she opened her eyes to see her brother looking down at her.

"Al, what happened just now? I felt this intense pressure in my chest, I couldn't even finish the alchemy I was about to do. Where are Ed and Winry?" She started to panic as she tried to get up, but her body still felt weak. She felt light-headed, so she slumped back down into the carriage seat.

"Everyone is fine, we were all worried about you, though. Ah, here's brother and Winry now," said Al as the two approached the carriage to check on Aura.

"Aura, how are you feeling? I was so worried about you!" said Winry as she hopped into the carriage and gave Aura a hug.

"I'm...I think I'm going to be fine. But what about you? In your condition you can't be putting yourself in so much danger, I was worried sick about you too!" said Aura. After she had finished speaking, she realized that she had slipped up.

"Wait a second, just what kind of condition are you talking about? Winry is fine, nothing happened to her aside from having some jerks scare her into working for them." said Ed, wondering what his sister was referring to.

"Ah, crap..." Aura looked over to Winry, who had a worrisome look to her face. "You never got the chance to tell him did you? I'm so sorry..."

Winry looked at her sister-in-law and smiled hesitantly. "It's okay, don't worry about it. Edward, I was going to tell you once we got to Rush Valley, but obviously things didn't work out the way they should have."

"Yeah, obviously. Would you just come out with whatever it is you wanted to tell me already? We need to get Aura home." said an impatient Ed.

"Well... We're going to be parents, Ed. You're going to be a father."

Edward's look of impatience gave way to a look of pure shock. He quickly looked around for a place to sit down before his legs gave out from under him. "A father, you said... Me?"

"Yeah, I was going to tell you once we got to Rush Valley, I swear. I didn't intend for it to sound like I was keeping it from you, I just wanted your sister to know before we left on our trip since I didn't know when I'd see her again."

Ed just nodded as he was still trying to wrap his head around the news. He and Winry were going to bring a new life into the world. He knew at some point they wanted to start their family, but he didn't realize it would be this soon.

Al took the opportunity to chime in, "we should probably get back home, Granny should have a look at Aura to make sure she wasn't seriously injured." He was surprised by Winry's announcement, but genuinely happy about the soon-to-be addition to the family. Their sister did just deal with a serious attack though, and he wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Yeah, let's get going." Edward said as he stood back up to get into the carriage as Al climbed up to the steering bench to take them home. Ed was quiet all the way back to Resembool, keeping whatever he was thinking about to himself. Winry gave him time to think without interruption and remained silent as well. Aura seemed to feel better by the time they arrived, but wanted to be checked out for any lingering effects.

They approached the door when it suddenly swung open, nearly hitting Edward. The half-naked driver was on the other side, "Oh thank goodness the carriage is in one piece! Thank you so much for bringing it back!"

"You're lucky the door didn't hit me in the face, pal, or you would have been the one in pieces..." grumbled Edward as he let the driver pass by to reclaim his carriage and leave.

Pinako met the group at the door with a grim look on her face. "I'm glad that you're all safe, but there's something you should know. It's Hohenheim. You all should go see him right away."

Aura followed her brothers and Winry to their father's room and saw him laying down, staring out the window that was next to his bed. His condition had gotten much worse. His face was pale and hollow as gray took the place of his once golden hair. He smiled weakly as he saw them walk in and began to speak.

"My children, I know that there aren't many words that I can say to excuse my absence during the most important years of your lives. I wish more than anything that I could go back and give back the years that were stolen from you. Time that you should have had me there to watch over and defend you. I know that I can't make up for..." At that point, Aura had rushed forward, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, and laid her hands on her father, intent on using her stone's power to heal him before he said anything else.

"Aura, don't you even try to start healing me, child!" yelled Hohenheim as he pushed Aura's hands off of him, shaking as the weakness of his frail body was clear for them all to see. "I can't do it anymore, stop delaying the inevitable!"

Aura initial shock of being pushed away gave way to rage as she thought about the last fight they had over this. Seeing him look so weak and helpless made her want to ignore him and do it anyway, but something about the look in his eye made her hesitate. She soon recognized the look he gave her as not one of anger, but of resignation. She had to admit that for her to heal him at this point would only cause him more pain, and she just didn't have it in her to allow that. She hung her head down and stepped away from his bed.

"Thank you, Aura. Don't think that I don't appreciate all that you've done. You gave me the gift of more time. You gave me the chance to get to know all of you. The chance to see my oldest son get married..." His voice trailed off as his eyes began to water. Edward finally broke his silence as he stood up and looked at his father.

"You're going to be a grandfather, old man!" Ed said, his voice breaking as his emotions overwhelmed him.

Hohenheim smiled at his son, as tears began to stream down from his eyes. "Oh, how wonderful for you both! I'm sure you'll be a great father. I'm sure you've learned enough from my mistakes to make sure your children are safe and happy."

Ed couldn't bear to keep what he felt silent any longer. "I FORGIVE YOU, DAMMIT! All these years I've spent resenting you, I'm sorry for all of it. I was too young and stupid to realize you didn't leave us for some selfish reason, but to protect everyone! I was so cruel to you, please forgive me." Ed knelt down by his father's bed, and took his hand into his own and squeezing it tightly. "I don't want you to leave us, Dad. Please, don't go."

"Ed, you have no reason to apologize. Even though I was trying to prevent harm coming to our country, it still didn't excuse me not being there when you all needed me the most. But even so, you all showed me compassion and gave me the opportunity to see how you've all grown up. And even now in this state, I am truly happy. Thank you, my family."

One by one, they each approached their father's bedside and embraced and spoke their final words to Hohenheim. Aura hugged her father close as she started to cry. "You're such a stubborn person, you know that Dad? I'm going to miss you so much, I don't know what I'm going to do without you here with me."

As she let go of him and stepped back, she noticed he was laughing quietly, his breathing becoming more erratic. "Aura, stubbornness seems to be a common trait in our family. Unfortunately Death can be the most stubborn entity of all. I've lived for over 400 years, and all that time, Death has been stubbornly waiting for me. There's no sense in delaying it any longer. But your family is here for you when you need help or guidance. Together, you can stand against anything that threatens to harm you." Hohenheim slowly turned his head towards the window at the side of his bed and gazed out at the brilliant blue sky. He smiled gently as his gaze faded into darkness as he left his family and his life behind, still smiling.


	6. Chapter 6: A Smile He'd Fight For

Several weeks had passed since Hohenheim's funeral, and things were starting to get back to normal in Resembool. His children all grieved in their own way. Edward, who had managed to confess his true feelings to his father before he died, was unusually quiet and moody. Aura spent the days after her father's death on her own, outside overlooking the vast landscape. She found peace in her surroundings, and it helped her realize their father was at peace now as well. Alphonse cried and held his siblings close as they cried. Just like when he was seven feet of steel, he was the strong support his family needed him to be. They all realized that something needed to be done concerning the man from Xing that had caused them trouble not long ago.

Aura was on her way to her room when she saw Winry sitting alone in the living room. She walked over and stood in front of her and began to speak. "I filed my report with Central involving the people that kidnapped you and Ed, Winry. I felt it was best to not tell them the whole story though. If they knew it all, they probably wouldn't approve of us going to Xing on our own, or at all to be honest. So is Ed getting prepared for the trip?"

"Yeah. Aura, he's been distancing himself from me ever since he found out about the baby. I know something is bothering him but you know how he is. He's too stubborn to get it off his chest, at least to me. Maybe you or Al could try talking some sense into him?"

"No problem, I'll talk with him when I get a chance." Aura said as she went back to her room to finish packing her supplies. When she finished she carried her bags outside to the carriage that was waiting for them. She smiled when she saw the driver they had rescued a few weeks ago. He rushed up to her and took her bags, greeting her hurriedly before carrying them to the carriage to stow them away. Edward walked out of the house carrying his own bags. She decided to take the opportunity to talk to him.

"Hey Ed, you got a minute? I wanted to ask you something."

Edward shrugged his shoulders and muttered something that sounded like 'sure'. Aura followed along as he kept walking, now a little irritated by his mood and behavior.

"Well, it's just that... With everything that's gone on the last few weeks or so, you seem like something's bothering you. I just wanted to ask if there was anything you wanted to talk about."

"It's nothing, just go about your own business and I'll handle mine." was the rough answer Edward gave her. She could see where Winry was having such a hard time trying to get to him. She wanted to give him his space, but she knew there was something he needed to get off his chest. She walked ahead of him then turned and stood directly in his path, stopping him in his tracks.

"What the hell, sis? You trying to make me knock you over, stopping in front of me like that? I'm telling you, nothing's wrong, now would you just get out of my way?"

"I'm serious bro, I know there's something bothering you, and it's just not like you to keep it bottled up inside. Doing that is just going to make it worse! I'm here to listen to whatever it may-"

"WHY CAN'T YOU ALL JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" screamed Edward as he used one arm to push past Aura to try to keep walking forward. Aura grabbed his arm and used the leverage to throw him against the side of the carriage. She got in his face again and stared him down, daring him to yell at her again. He could see by the look in his sister's face that it was useless to try to argue anymore.

"Dammit... It's just... What Dad said to me. About being a better father than he was. It was a shock to find out I'd be a father so soon, but his words have just been in my head lately."

"Aww Ed, there's no need to worry, we all know that you're going to be a great father." Aura told her brother, her angry expression fading away.

"I'll be the best father I can be, that's for sure. But it just... it seems that there is always some kind of trouble or danger that ends up taking me away from my home and family, just like this trip to Xing. Honestly, how is this any different than what Hohenheim did?"

"Dad may have left us, but it wasn't something he decided easily. He had to weigh the danger of letting the homunculi succeed with their plan to eliminate Amestris' people and protecting his children, or leaving us alone to have a better chance of stopping them. Faced with that choice, he decided to fight against the greater danger. The one that would have destroyed us and everything he held dear if left unchecked. This Xingese guy may harm everyone you hold dear. Can you see where Dad was coming from a little better now? I won't try to argue whether he was right or wrong, but maybe now that you have your own family to worry about and protect, you can see things from his perspective a little more clearly."

Edward looked off to the side, thinking about what his sister had said. Yeah, he realized that their father had wanted to protect everyone. Maybe his situation isn't different at all. And maybe he shouldn't consider it to be a bad thing anymore. Hell, people leave to defend their loved ones all the time. If he could find a way to neutralize this current threat, he would be able to come back home and be the father and husband that he knew he could be. Ed looked back towards his sister, who had given him more space now that she had said what she felt needed to be heard.

"You're right. I guess I was still hung up on thinking that leaving was a bad thing. It isn't bad at all if you're defending them from something terrible. Thanks sis, once again you seem to know just what to say to help me out."

"No problem, we should probably get back to preparing for the trip. I hear the way to Xing is pretty long and tiring."

"Yeah, trust me it's no easy journey. The last time I went, my automail got so hot they nearly burned clear off my stumps, and don't get me started on where all the sand ended up. Luckily we'll be avoiding most of the harsher desert travel by going through border customs." He thought about his friends from Xing, and the adventures they had a few years ago. Maybe if there's time he can see how they were doing.

They walked back towards the house as Al was bringing out the last of his things. Winry was still sitting in the same spot Aura had last seen her. She excused herself to give Ed a chance to talk to her alone. He walked over to his wife and sat down next to her.

"I... I just wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting lately. It's hard for me to talk about things that are worrying me, but it isn't fair that I pushed you away when I know you only wanted to help. I'm sorry. I've just been so worked up about this situation with the guy that attacked Aura, as well as dealing with Hohenheim's death... And now I'm worried about leaving you behind just as we find out we're starting our family. I just..." Winry held a finger up to her mouth, silencing him.

"Shh... it's alright Ed. You don't have to worry about us. Just make sure whatever that guy has planned doesn't succeed and that you and Al and Aura come back safely." He pulled her towards him and hugged her close, smiling as his face pressed against her hair. It still amazed him how his family could cheer him up when he really felt awful. Their love strengthened his resolve to stop whatever this bad guy planned to do to Aura and anyone else he cared about. He stood up, offering his hand and helped Winry stand as well. They walked out of the house together and met up with Al and Aura, who were waiting by the carriage.

"Ready to go brother?" said Al rather enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sure am. Let's take care of this jerk so we can get back home. Although I'm sure you'll want to pay a visit to May, right Al?" Edward said with a smile as Al blushed and started in again on how they were only good friends. Aura and Winry laughed as they hugged each other and said their goodbyes.

Everyone got into the carriage, with Ed sitting by the window so he could see Winry as they left, waving to her and telling her he'd be back soon. He watched her for as long as he could before she blended into the background. He kept that image of her smiling and waving in his memory, looking forward to their return so he could see it again with his own eyes. He felt like he understood his father's position better now. He'd go off and fight for a lifetime if it would keep her alive and smiling.


	7. Chapter 7: A Fish to Catch

"Gahhh, this trip is taking forever!" whined Ed as he kept fidgeting in his seat, facing his siblings. "I really believe it would have taken less time if we had cut across the desert like May and Ling did!"

"Probably, but from what I've heard, Xing handles illegal border crosses much more harshly than Amestris does. The risk isn't worth it, brother." explained Al as he rested his head in the palm of his hand and looked out the train window. Aura had fallen asleep with her head on Al's shoulder, the discomfort of the train didn't affect her need to get some rest. Ed looked at her and let out a chuckle.

"Well it's nice to see someone can manage to be comfortable here." said Ed sarcastically.

"She's been through a lot, she could use the rest. Who knows how badly that guy's attack affected her and her stone. I know Granny checked her out and didn't find anything wrong, but still..."

"Yeah Al, I know, I was joking anyway. We'll find that guy and stop him before he can pull anymore crap like that. I'll smash that box into his face for putting her through that much pain. I wish she had stayed home where it's safe, but she wouldn't have listened to me anyway. Better for us to go together than for her to take off alone." Ed leaned up against his window and watched the desert pass by. The movement from the train made the sand blend together, giving it the appearance of a glittering brown ocean. Ed stared at it and gradually began to doze off. Al smiled as he watched his brother attempt to fight sleep only to give up soon after. _It shouldn't be much longer now, I've made this trip several times so it doesn't seem as boring to me. Plus it'll be nice to see May again._

Aura and Ed woke up as the train screeched to a halt near the border of Xing. They stood up and stretched before grabbing their belongings and walking out onto the platform. The border customs line was long, and the three grudgingly took their place at the end of it.

After what seemed like hours, they finally made it to the front of the line, where border patrol officers were checking passports and other documents before allowing people into Xing. They approached the counter together and stated their names and purpose for visiting. The officer asked more questions, many of them rather pointless and redundant. Al and Aura didn't seem bothered by it and answered quickly, while Ed grew more irritated.

"Well, it appears that everything is in order. Just one moment, please." The man left the counter and approached one of the guards posted by the gate. He spoke briefly with him, and after the guard nodded and walked away, he returned to his post at the counter. "Okay, you may continue through the border gate, welcome to Xing." the counter officer said in a flat monotone voice. Al was suspicious of the man's interaction with the guard, but Ed was relieved to be done with customs and quickly walked away.

Upon entering, Ed and Aura noticed that Xing didn't appear to be much different from Amestris. They continued into what became a main street with shops crowded close together on either side. People were everywhere, yelling out orders or negotiating prices for items they wanted. Aura took her time, looking to see what each shop was selling. She was reminded of her first visit to Central, when she and Winry had visited shops while Ed and Al reported to HQ. Everything was so new to her then, she just wanted to take it all in, the different styles of clothes, foods, everything. That same novelty came back to her as she walked through the crowd, following her brothers.

Ed led the group to the far end of the market, where it was less crowded and noisy. "Now I'm not exactly sure where to start with searching for this guy. Al, you've been here more than we have, where should we start?"

Al started to speak, but was distracted by the sight of a multitude of guards approaching from every direction. "I thought something was up when that border officer took off to speak with the guard. I bet he thought something was suspicious and alerted them to us!"

"Well no kidding, genius, but what do they want with us? I knew we should have cut across the desert!" Ed said as the group of soldiers closed in around them.

"You three have got a lot of nerve to set foot in this country." yelled a voice behind the guards, sounding very mad. "After everything that's happened, you aren't even going to let your old buddy Ling know you're in town?!"

They turned in the direction of the voice as Ling Yao appeared with a huge smile on his face, followed closely by his bodyguard Lan Fan.

"Your Majesty!" exclaimed Alphonse as Ling and Lan Fan stopped in front of their group.

"Ling! What the hell are you doing her- OWW!" Ed yelled out as Lan Fan smacked him over the head with the paper fan she was carrying.

"How dare you speak to our Emperor with such disgrace! He deserves the utmost respect and honor!"

"Fine, but didja have to hit me to get that point across?!" Ed scowled at Lan Fan before straightening up and raising his hand to his brow in a salute, only to be jabbed in the ribs by his brother.

"OO-OFF! What did I do now?!"

"You're supposed to bow, you idiot!" whispered Al as he returned to his bowing position before the Emperor.

"Wha...? Oh, my bad." said Ed as he mimicked his brother's pose and bowed in front of Ling.

"Now now, there's no need to be so formal, friends!" Ling said as he signaled for the guards to stand down. "I would have expected you to sneak across the desert to come here. Coming in through border customs? Where's the fun in that?!"

"We're sorry, we didn't mean to cause any trouble, Your Majesty!" said Al nervously.

"It's no trouble at all, and stop being so formal Al. You've visited enough to know I hear it nonstop throughout the day. I won't tolerate such formalities from some of my closest friends. And who's this?" Ling paused as he looked at Aura. "If I didn't know any better, this girl could be your sister, guys."

"That's because she _is_ our sister, Ling." Ed replied while rolling his eyes. "It's a long story, but yes, this is our sister Aura. And she's part of the reason we're here."

"Well, it would be rude of me to expect you to tell me the purpose of your visit without first offering you some refreshments and shelter. Why don't you guys stay at my place while you're here?"

"You mean the palace!" Ed blurted out loudly.

"Yes, Ed, the palace. Try not to overwhelm yourself before we even get there. I am quite interested in this long story of yours and don't want you to tire yourself out before I get a chance to hear it. Lets be on our way then." Ling said as several of his guards offered to carry their bags and suitcases, to which the weary siblings graciously accepted.

...

After everyone arrived at the palace and had a chance to rest from their trip, Ling had his guests meet him in the dining hall, where he had a feast prepared for them. Once everyone had had their fill, including Ling, whose appetite was still as voracious as ever, they gathered together at one end of the massive dining table. Ed proceeded to tell the story of how Aura arrived in their world, with Al and Aura chiming in to add a detail here and there. Ling listened with great interest as Ed told him about the man that had kidnapped Winry and himself and attacked Aura with some strange mechanical device. It upset him greatly when he was told that the man was Xingese.

"My, this truly is distressing news. To think that one of my subjects would do something so cruel. I'm sorry to say that I have no knowledge or information that could help you in this matter. But I'll do everything in my power to help you find the person responsible."

"Thank you, Ling. We could use all the help we can get considering we're not even sure where he was headed. He did mention that he was going to be seeing Aura again soon and that he had come too far to fail now." Al said.

"So it's fairly certain that whatever this person intends to do, he needs Aura to make it happen." Ling replied.

"Yeah, that's one of the few facts that we have right now. Although..." Ed paused as something occurred to him. "If he needs Aura to complete whatever he's supposed to be doing, what sense would it make to get further away from her?"

"It would make more sense to stay close to her, and wait for the most opportune moment to grab her." said Ling as he started to follow what Ed was getting at.

"So it's likely this guy is here in Xing, waiting for his moment to strike. Is that what you're saying?" Lan Fan chimed in.

"That's exactly what I'm getting at," replied Ed. "So where does that leave us, Emperor Ling?"

"Well it looks like we have ourselves a fish to catch." Ling said as he turned to Aura. "And you can't catch a fish without bait, right dear?"


	8. Chapter 8: A Man Cornered

A few days later, the three Elric siblings were sitting in an outdoor restaurant in the markets. Ed and Al were face-first in their breakfast plates, while Aura just stared at her food.

"How can you guys just stuff your faces when something so dangerous is going on? This is my life in the balance and you guys act like you don't even care!"

Ed looked up from his plate and struggled to swallow his mouthful of food before answering, "Of course we're worried about you sis, but c'mon, a mans gotta eat, right Al?" To which his brother nodded without even looking up from his meal. "See? We have all day to start looking for this guy, so chill out and eat something. You'll need the energy."

Aura was through with this nonsense. "That's it! You guys can stay here and enjoy your breakfast, but I'm going to take care of that guy with or without you!" She stood up suddenly and rushed off, grabbing her travel bag as she left. The boys called out to her, telling her to come back, but neither one rose from their seat.

"She always gets so impatient with stuff like this. I'm sure she'll be fine until we're done. Pass me more of those waffles, Al." said Edward. The brothers paid less attention to their breakfast and more to the surrounding people and tables. It wasn't long before Al noticed someone at one of the far tables stand up and leave in the same direction as their sister, and nudged Ed to alert him to it.

"Haha, gotcha now, you sneaky bastard." Edward grinned as he wiped his face with his napkin and stood up to give the signal to Lan Fan, who was perched on an adjacent rooftop. She nodded and disappeared out of sight.

"I hope this is going to work out brother, I don't like putting Aura into danger like this." said Al, as he got up and started walking out of the restaurant in the direction Aura and the suspect were headed.

"You know I hate it just as much Al, but this is our best shot of catching the guy without causing further harm to anyone else. Aura's pretty tough though, she's been involved with worse things so I'm sure she'll be okay. Let's try to catch up before Lan Fan and her group decide to take this guy out on their own. I don't want to miss anything this guy has to say."

Aura had taken the path through the alleyways that they had mapped out the previous day. She continued to look upset, and in doing so, made herself look to be careless and lost within the back areas of the city. As she grew more flustered, she began to notice footsteps behind her as she tried to figure out which way to go. She heard the footsteps grow closer as she chose the alley with a dead end, and when she reached the end, turned around to see the same man that had kidnapped her brother and made her pass out from that incredible pain in her chest.

"Whaa? You again?! Who are you and what are you doing here?" said Aura, pressing her back against the wall.

"I'm sorry I never introduced myself properly. My name is Michael Quan. I'm a scientist here in Xing, and until recently I was working in Amestris on a project involving energy production. But now that project has been cancelled, and I've found something more important to contribute my time to. Which brings me to you, Aura. My new project requires someone of your unique abilities, the power you are capable of is what I need to get them back."

Before he could continue with what he was saying, Michael was surrounded by Lan Fan's trained guards. "Well, I have to say I'm impressed. It did seem a little strange that I could corner you so easily. Not sure what else there is to do now." Michael said as the guards restrained him and bound his arms behind him just as Ed and Al arrived.

"You could start by explaining to us exactly why you're so hell-bent on taking our sister. He didn't hurt you did he Aura?" Ed said as he walked over to Aura.

"No, I'm fine, and he was starting to tell me what he was doing here when the trap was sprung. Something about 'getting them back'."

"Is that so? Well then, lets get this guy somewhere more comfortable so he can tell us what this is all about." The guards walked Michael with the others following until they came to an empty market booth with a table and chairs. The guards sat Michael down and tied his hands behind the chair. Ed, Al, and Aura sat across from him. He held his head down for a while before speaking.

"It's your fault they're gone. You don't even realize it, but that's the simple truth. And you look down on me because I'm attempting to fix what you have broken? How wonderful it must be to be so blind and ignorant."

"And it was justified for you to kidnap and terrorize my wife or make something that caused so much pain our sister passed out? Don't cry to me and expect pity, not after seeing what they went through."

"Shhh Ed, I want to hear what he has to say. Just what do you mean when you say it's our fault they're gone. Who are 'they'?" asked Aura, curious to what the man was referring to.

"I moved to Amestris with my family while doing research on alternative theories for energy production. Over a year ago, there was an incident in a little town called Kanama. Some madman bombed the place. While I was away working on a way to create better energy sources, my wife and son were killed in one of those blasts. I found out later through some military friends that it was an attack meant for you and your sister, Fullmetal. I lost my family because of you!"

"Look, I'm sorry for your losses, but the fact is that bomber killed them, not us! How can you sit there and blame us!" yelled Edward.

"I know that he was the one that detonated the bombs, but none of it would have happened if you hadn't been there. Once I learned the identity of the person that made the bombs, I waited until the right moment to avenge my family. Their killer is dead, but the reason for his carnage has a part to play in this plan as well."

Aura had grown quiet, she thought back to when that bomber had tried to destroy half of Kanama just to kill them. She hadn't been told about the casualties of that disaster, it pained her to realize how much that destruction had hurt others. "I'm very sorry for the loss of your family. But you said that you needed me to 'get them back'. How do you expect to make that happen?"

"After the bombings, I stopped working on the energy production project. But while we were doing research, we noticed some of the old texts in the old Xerxes ruins referenced possibilities for less wasteful methods of power and energy. I took what we learned from those writings and began working on my own."

Edward interrupted him, "Wait a minute, the old Xerxes ruins, you were able to understand what most of those writings said? What did you make out of it, specifically."

"Well it involved a method of early alchemy that involved bloodletting to create an artificial life form. Something that was said to be impossible. But I made it happen. With my own blood, I created it, a living being! That's what you wanted to know, right? I succeeded, I created a homunculus, new life in a flask! And I need your power, the power of your unique philosopher's stone, to make it whole and bring my family back over to me!"

Ed had heard enough. "You dumb bastard... Do you have ANY idea what that creature is capable of? The whole reason that Xerxes is a dead civilization is because of that damned dwarf in the flask! And if you think Aura is going anywhere near it, then you're more insane than we thought! It has to be destroyed, where is it?!"


End file.
